WEBINAR RECAP: HOW CAN GROCERY RETAILERS COMPLY WITH NEW EPA REFRIGERANT REGULATIONS BEFORE THE 1/1/2026 DEADLINE AND ACHIEVE ROI?

Key Takeaways

• AIM Act regulations dramatically alter how grocery retailers must manage refrigerant leaks — this webinar broke down the key compliance requirements.

• Amrit Robbins and TrakRef's Steven Blumenfeld explored compliance strategies that also deliver strong operational ROI.

• Compliance and profitability are not in conflict — the right ALD approach pays for itself through leak reduction, energy savings, and avoided fines.

• Operators who wait for the deadline to force action will face higher costs and fewer vendor options than those who move proactively.

The upcoming changes to EPA regulations under the AIM Act dramatically alter how grocery retailers and cold storage facilities manage refrigerant leaks. In a September 17th Webinar titled “How Can I Comply with the New EPA Requirements in 2025—and Achieve a Great ROI?”, Axiom Cloud CEO Amrit Robbins and Steven Blumenfeld, GM of TrakRef, explored these regulatory shifts and offered insights on compliance strategies that can also enhance operational efficiency and sustainability.

“Doing nothing is no longer an option. You’re going to have to do something in 2025. The question is not if, but what strategy you’re going to implement and who you’re going to partner with. This is a massive opportunity to address leak rates and drive significant financial, operational, and sustainability benefits.”

— Amrit Robbins

📊 Stat: Starting January 1, 2026, EPA AIM Act regulations require automatic leak detection (ALD) systems for grocery and cold storage facilities with ≥1,500 lbs of HFC refrigerant — with violations carrying penalties of up to approximately $60,000 per day per violation (EPA AIM Act Final Rule, 40 CFR Part 84).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL1UNjeTMMzK3OQe2EoUrCd6SBsr342Caq&v=FAqrSbrUkpQ

Why Can't Grocery Retailers Afford to Wait on HFC Refrigerant Leak Reduction?

Why HFC Leak Reductions Matter

Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) leaks are a growing concern in the grocery and cold storage industries, not only because of their environmental impact but also due to the significant operational and financial burdens they impose. Refrigerant leaks lead to unnecessary and unscheduled maintenance, driving up costs as systems require immediate repairs. These leaks often force stores to de-merchandise refrigerated cases, resulting in lost sales as products are temporarily removed, frustrating customers and harming revenue. Additionally, store personnel are distracted from their primary roles, focusing on managing these emergencies instead of serving customers and ensuring smooth operations.

Early detection and intervention can significantly reduce these risks. It helps lower maintenance and energy costs, keeps products available for purchase by avoiding de-merchandising, and minimizes distractions for store personnel. Additionally, it reduces exposure to regulatory enforcement, making compliance easier to maintain. With HFCs being thousands of times more potent than CO₂, addressing refrigerant leaks not only tackles operational issues but also plays a vital role in reducing scope 1 emissions. For companies like Walmart, refrigerant leaks are a major driver of their scope 1 and 2 emissions, and for smaller chains, the impact can be even more significant.

Asset inventory and Record-Keeping are Foundational

Asset inventory and record-keeping are critical to maintaining compliance in today’s regulatory environment, where doing nothing is no longer an option. The expansion of regulations, including the requirement for Automatic Leak Detection (ALD) systems and enhanced record-keeping, means that businesses must be proactive. Reducing refrigerant leak rates offers significant financial and sustainability benefits, so this regulatory push should be seen as an opportunity rather than a burden.

Regulations are moving fast, and businesses must prepare now to avoid scrambling at the last minute. Compliance requires a careful selection of vendors who can integrate various systems and services to meet complex and evolving requirements. Priorities such as ease of deployment, return on investment, greenhouse gas footprint, safety, and availability of carbon credits all play a role in determining the best approach for your business.

Grocery retailers and cold storage facilities need tools that enable them to stay audit-ready. Every leak detection method must be recorded, repair steps must be properly documented, and all necessary reporting requirements must be met to remain compliant and avoid costly penalties.

Why Are Traditional Leak Detection Methods Failing to Meet EPA AIM Act Standards?

Common Leak Detection Methods: Why They’re Falling Short

The webinar delved into both current and legacy methods used for leak detection, including direct refrigerant leak detectors and quarterly manual checks. While a combination of these methods can technically meet some compliance requirements, they have significant limitations and don’t fully meet compliance requirements. Direct leak sensors can only detect leaks in the areas where sensors are installed, while manual checks can be prone to human error.

The webinar explored current and legacy leak detection methods, such as direct refrigerant leak detectors and quarterly manual checks, highlighting their significant limitations in meeting compliance requirements. While direct leak sensors can detect large leaks in specific areas, they are limited to where sensors are installed, leaving outdoor components like condensers unmonitored. Manual checks, prone to human error, are costly and divert technicians from higher-value tasks. Additionally, single-point gas detectors used in mechanical rooms ensure safety compliance but fail to detect leaks in other facility areas. Receiver-level sensor alarms are notoriously unreliable and costly to retrofit into existing systems. Direct refrigerant leak detectors also come with a high initial cost and require annual calibration to maintain accuracy. These drawbacks make these legacy methods inadequate for comprehensive leak detection and compliance, especially as regulations continue to tighten.

EPA-Compliant Leak Detection for 2025

As the January 1st, 2026 EPA deadline approaches, retailers must make significant changes in order to avoid massive potential EPA fines. Implementing Automatic Leak Detection (ALD) systems is one of the most important steps that retailers can take in 2025. ALD systems fall into two categories: direct and indirect.

• Direct ALD systems use hardware sensors to monitor refrigerant concentrations in the air. These systems provide immediate leak detection and are capable of pinpointing the location of the leak. However, they are limited in their ability to detect leaks that are more than a few feet away from sensors or leaks that occur outdoors. Installing hardware retrofits (including capillary tubing throughout the facility) is expensive, time-consuming, and logistically challenging across hundreds or thousands of facilities.

  
  

• Indirect ALD systems use predictive analytics to monitor the system’s real-time operating conditions and infer the presence of leaks. Indirect systems, such as those offered by Axiom Cloud, can detect small leaks in both indoor and outdoor components without additional hardware installation. This solution is highly scalable and provides a low-cost option for retailers looking to comply with regulations quickly and easily across many sites.

How Should Grocery Retailers Prepare for EPA Automatic Leak Detection Requirements?

What Retailers Should Do Next

The consensus from the webinar was clear: doing nothing is no longer an option. Retailers must act now to ensure they comply with AIM Act requirements by 1/1/2026. Implementing record-keeping and addressing refrigerant leaks is not only a regulatory necessity but also a strategic opportunity. By investing in these solutions in 2025, retailers can avoid costly EPA fines, reduce operational costs, and lower their environmental impact.

Moreover, as more companies work to reduce their scope 2 emissions by switching to renewable energy or electrifying their fleets, the relative impact of scope 1 emissions from refrigerant leaks will only increase. Focusing on leak reduction can help businesses meet their long-term sustainability goals while simultaneously improving their bottom line.

For more details on how to achieve compliance and ROI with these upcoming changes, watch the full webinar or reach out to Axiom Cloud for tailored solutions and Follow us on LinkedIn to be alerted of the next one.